1 RESTRICT YOUR START POINT
Bonnard’s compositions often
place the focus to the side,
leading your eye off the canvas.
Affix paper to the centre and
margins of your canvas to resist
the urge to place your focal point
in an obvious spot.
2 CONSIDER THE OBSERVER
In Nude in an Interior, what
initially appears to be a doorway
is in fact a reflection in a mirror.
So where is the subject and
where is the observer? Such
daring compositions add intrigue
to your work.3 VARY THE TONES
Colour is a complex element of
Bonnard’s work, with each base
colour appearing in a single
painting in a variety of tones.
Pre-mix three blobs of your
chosen base colour with varying
amounts of Titanium White to
give a trio of tones to great a
varied first layer.4 PIN YOUR INSPIRATION
Bonnard collected sweet
wrappers, newspaper cuttings
and other images which he
pinned to his studio wall to fuel
his creativity. Try collecting
artefacts to keep in your studio
which could inspire new ideas.5 THINK SLOW, ACT FAST
After long periods of
consideration, Bonnard’s
approach in the studio was one
of speed. Take your time whenconsidering a subject, but
commit to a timeframe when
creating your masterpiece to
capture the raw spirit of an idea.6 KEEP MOVING
Bonnard’s studio contained a
mezzanine which enabled him
to view his work from a different
height. He also worked with
long-handled brushes while
painting on unstretched canvas
tacked to the wall. Try these
tricks to gain a fresh perspective.PAINT LIKE PIERRE SIX TIPS FOR CREATING COLOURFUL BONNARD-STYLE ART
In January 1942, Marthe died of a heart attack
and,after50yearsoflivingtogether,herpassing
hadaprofoundeffectonBonnardwhowrote
to Matisse, “You can’t imagine my grief and my
solitude, filled with bitterness and worry about
thelifeImayleadnow.”Despiteherill-health,
BonnardhadalwayspaintedMartheinawaythat
indicatedvitalityratherthandecline,contrasting
greatly with his candid approach to self-portraits.
Theartist’sownhealthbegantosufferafter
the death of Marthe, but he continued to work
foranotherfiveyearswhen,attheageof80,he
completed his final work: a painting of an almond
treeinbloom.Bonnardwasknownforaltering
paintings long after they were ‘complete’, having
snuckartmaterialsintogalleriestomake
changestohisworkswhiletheguardsweren’t
looking. This final artwork was no exception.
As his nephew stood by his deathbed Bonnard
reportedlysaid,“Thegreenonthepatchofground
totheleftiswrong...Whatitneedsisyellow.”
PierreBonnard:TheColourofMemoryruns until
6MayatTateModern,LondonSE1.www.tate.org.ukBonnard made
alterations to
paintings long
after they were
‘complete’... On his
deathbed, he said
“The green on the
left is wrong”
LEFT The view from Le Bosquet today
BELOW LEFT Nude in the Bath (Nu dans le bain),
1936-’38, oil on canvas, 93x147cmMUSÉE D’ART MODERNE DE LA VILLE DE PARIS/ ROGER-VIOLLET; PHOTO: RACHAEL FUNNELL